Munster, Chip on Shoulder

Munster coach Rob Penney has said this week that Munster will face Ireland in the Aviva this Saturday. Now this statement throws up a number of questions for both Rob Penney and the players. Has he said it just to get a reaction from his players or does he believe that it is the truth. Ireland boss Joe Schmidt used 17 Leinster players throughout the Six Nations in comparison to just 5 Munster players. They are two of the form teams in the Pro 12. I just feel that this has been blown out of proportion. It is being used as a motivational tool and nothing else.

 Ireland win a Six Nations title and the first thing that Rob Penney does is that he goes on the attack. Let’s look at the facts, In a straight shoot-out, who would you pick Jonny Sexton or Ian Keatley, in the front row you can’t argue with Cian Healy or Mike Ross or the two mwn that are their understudies Martin Moore and Jack Mc Grath. It is up to players like Dave Kilcoyne and Stephen Archer to push these other players for a place in the match day 23.

 Ireland are in a strong place at this moment with the strength in depth in most positions. Munster have always been able to use this notion that they are hard done by in terms of national selection or selection for Lions squads. But these times have changed and Munster are now on a level par with Leinster and for a few years they were out on their own.

So to sum up, Munster do have a chip on their shoulder but they only use it as motivational tool because these players know each other too well. It would be mad not to do it. Let’s hope the game lives up to the early billing!!

By Cian Mc Gibney

26/03/2014.